It is known that the general principle of cases comprising a centering hub on which the disc is clipped. These centering hubs generally have several deformable tabs. They can be formed by molding the bottom of a case made from plastic material or in the form of a part glued onto a cardboard support.
As an example, FR 2 810 442 describes a case for a DVD, CD or VCD consisting of a body, a cover, a molded hinge mechanism and comprising an annular projecting element. The projecting element extends upwards from the body to support a disc. This projecting element is formed by a protruding flange having flexible tabs that become lodged in the centering hole of a disc. These tabs are fragile and brittle and can break during transport or when placing or removing the disc. The broken tabs then shift around between the case and the disc and can scratch the surface of the disc.
The manufacturing cost of such a case is high since the projecting element must be molded in a complex mold, with rather low manufacturing tolerance. These tabs are generally temperature-sensitive and do not always ensure effective support for the disc.
Furthermore, when the flange is glued onto the bottom of the case, it can be pulled off and swallowed by a child.
We have also suggested in FR 2 730 087 a case made from a flexible plastic material wherein the bottom has three studs arranged vertically in relation to the bottom. The disc is wedged between these studs. This solution is not very suitable since the disc is not properly supported. In addition, the studs tend to wear out quickly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,300 describes a case for a disc which comprises, in particular, a cavity for accommodating one or more discs, and disc-retaining straps connected to the base. These straps, which extend across the peripheral parts of one or more discs disposed in the cavity and hold the disc or discs in the cavity (closed position), can be moved into a release position to allow the removal of the disc or discs from the cavity.
Such a case, however, has its disadvantages. Indeed, the release of the disc or discs requires direct manual intervention on the retaining straps, thus increasing the risk of the user scratching the disc when moving the straps into their release position. Moreover, the operation consisting of moving these straps into their release position is relatively inconvenient. Indeed, this operation requires either a successive release action on each of the straps or the use of both the user's hands in order to open both straps simultaneously.
We also know from FR 2 846 774 a case for a disc-shaped digital recording medium formed by a tray having a centering device for the disc, characterized in that the tray has at least two radial shoulders disposed on either side of a median line for positioning the disc, the radial shoulders being defined to overlap, at rest, a marginal zone of the disc and to define, together with the bottom of the tray, a slot with a height that is substantially the same as the thickness of the disc.
It is not always easy to remove the disc, and it could be advantageous to provide a case that makes it easy to remove the disc from its housing.